Home Care In Reading, OH

Governor Mike DeWine’s reading education revolution has taken an extreme turn, according to hosts of Today in Ohio, who criticized a recent state audit that penalized colleges for merely mentioning alternative teaching strategies.

Wednesday’s episode featured a discussion about ten Ohio colleges – including Cleveland State University, Ohio State University, and Ohio University – that were flagged for not complying with the state’s new science of reading requirements. The reason? Their teacher education programs dared to include materials mentioning alternative reading instruction approaches.

“In CSU’s case here, they met 72 out of 73 metrics measured,” explained host Courtney Astolfi. “That one section where they fell short, according to the university, came down to a single textbook that was in use that included some literacy teaching methods that weren’t science of reading.”

Podcast hosts questioned the wisdom of such a restrictive approach to teacher education.

“I’m really bothered by the closed mindedness of this,” said Chris Quinn, comparing the situation to training baristas but only teaching them one method of making coffee. “If I’m learning to teach reading, why shouldn’t I know about the other philosophies of how to do it? Even though we’re focused in Ohio right now on one, we’re not going to let teachers know about the other ways that get there.”

The hosts emphasized they were not opposing the state’s required science of reading approach, but rather questioning why future teachers can’t even be exposed to the existence of alternative methods. The restriction, they argued, fundamentally undermines the purpose of higher education.

“What kind of colleges are we having when we’re locking out free thought?” Quinn asked.

Astolfi called the policy “draconian” and highlighted practical concerns about the long-term consequences: “You don’t know what’s coming down the road. What if the state changes again in 10 years? Are all these teachers left in the dark?”

The conversation expanded to broader concerns about academic freedom and the purpose of education. Quinn drew a parallel to other forms of ideological restrictions: “We believe in democracy, so should our colleges not have any mention of societies that are communist or socialist or what have you? I mean, we don’t want people to understand that there are different forms of governance.”

The hosts also noted that different teaching methods might be necessary for different learning situations, particularly in special education. By restricting teacher knowledge to only the state-approved approach, educators may be ill-equipped to help students who don’t respond to the standard method. By creating teachers who know only one methodology, Ohio may be producing educators less prepared to adapt to the diverse needs of their future students.

Listen to full “Today in Ohio” episodes where Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with Editorial Board member Lisa Garvin, Impact Editor Leila Atassi and Content Director Laura Johnston.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A new state audit has found that 10 colleges and universities – including many of Ohio’s largest institutions of higher learning – aren’t following a new state law to train future educators only in the phonics-based “science of reading” method of teaching kids to read.

Gov. Mike DeWine, during a news conference Tuesday, said almost all of the “not in alignment” schools – including Cleveland State University, Ohio State University, Ohio University, and the University of Toledo – met at least 71 of 73 audit metrics, but they were flagged just because they were using at least one banned method of literacy training in their curricula.

In the case of Cleveland State, a university spokeswoman said the issue was a single textbook that didn’t align with state standards.

Each of the 10 schools found to be “not in alignment” with that requirement now have one year to fully abandon those other reading techniques, or the Ohio Department of Higher Education will revoke state approval of their teaching programs. The other six schools on the list are Bowling Green State University, Central State University, Defiance College, Ohio Christian University, Ohio Dominican University, and Wright State University.

A 2023 state law, passed at DeWine’s urging, requires all colleges and universities to only train education students in “science of reading,” an instructional approach that emphasizes phonics and vocabulary, starting in January 2025.

DeWine said that “many of these 10 colleges are actually teaching the ‘science of reading’ very well,” and that they just need to completely drop any mention of alternative, discredited reading methods -- such as “three-cueing,” “whole language” or “balanced literacy,” in which students learn to read from visual cues and a text’s meaning.

The governor and Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Mike Duffey expressed optimism that the 10 schools would be able to come into compliance within the next year. Asked particularly about Cleveland State, Duffey noted that the school’s teaching program met 72 of 73 metrics and only had one section containing prohibited literacy teaching methods.

“I’m pretty confident that they’re going to be able to address it early next year,” Duffey said of CSU. The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com has reached out to the university for comment.

Aligned and partially aligned

Thirty-three other colleges and universities were found to be in alignment with the new state reading policies – meaning they both only taught the “science of reading” approach and met at least 71 of 73 metrics used in the state audit, which was conducted in the first few months of 2025.

Five schools – Capital University, God’s Bible School and College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Ursuline College, and Western Governors University – were found to be in “partial alignment,” as they only taught the “science of reading” but met less than 71 audit metrics.

DeWine said that he believes that one main obstacle for college education programs has been changing cultural norms.

“They’ve taught another way for a long, long period of time, and it’s tough to change,” the governor said. “It’s tough for professors that teach you one way to teach another way.”

At the same time, DeWine expressed a sense of urgency to ensure that Ohio schoolkids are taught how to read using the best instruction available.

“Our kids only have one chance to grow up,” he said. “It’s just a moral imperative that we get this right, and we get it right damn fast.”

CSU fix

As a result of the audit, CSU replaced on Dec. 2 the one textbook with one that is in alignment with the science of reading, said Olivia Fraser, a Cleveland State communications manager.

“We are confident we are now in compliance, and we look forward to being recognized as such by ODHE in early 2026,” she said.

Laura Hancock contributed to this story.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — An audit of literacy instruction programs at Ohio colleges and universities showed a handful are still using lessons that were banned two years ago, instead of focusing solely on the Science of Reading curriculum. Gov. Mike DeWine is now warning those schools to get with the program, or else.

In 2023, Ohio fully got behind the Science of Reading, a literacy program rooted in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension. The state not only embraced that curriculum, but it banned other literacy methods from being taught to future teachers. That included Balanced Literacy and Whole Language, which encouraged kids to use pictures and context clues but didn’t rely on phonics.

An audit after the compliance deadline of Jan. 1, 2025 showed 33 of 48 institutions in alignment. Five programs were in partial alignment and 10 were not in alignment. DeWine said students need to read well to succeed, and they only have that limited time in early elementary school to learn that.

“It is incumbent upon us to give them the best tools,” DeWine said. “The best way is sounding words out, going through the structure. And to use any other method is just morally wrong. It’s wrong. And that’s why we’ve taken such effort to focus on this.”

DeWine said he knows adjusting can be tough but the Science of Reading delivers the best results for kids who have one chance to learn to read.

“It’s tough for professors that have been teaching one way to teach another way. But it’s also tough for teachers who are out in the classroom who now have to switch over,” DeWine said. “It’s just a moral imperative that we get this right and we get it right damn fast.”

The audit showed the institutions in partial or non-alignment have met at least 50 of the 73 metrics needed to be in full alignment. The 10 institutions listed as not in alignment also have violations for banned teaching practices.

DeWine said most institutions in partial alignment are close to meeting those 73 metrics, but they need to do better. DeWine said all institutions must be fully aligned within the next year or the Chancellor of Higher Education could revoke approval of the literacy educator programs for those that aren’t.

“That clock starts now. That decision will be made in a year,” DeWine said. “We believe that Ohio’s laws on this topic are some of the strongest in the nation. And ultimately, of course, we’re doing this for children.”

Around 40 states have passed laws endorsing the Science of Reading since 2013.

Results of audit, conduced by The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk at the University of Texas, through spring semester 2025:

Partial alignment:

Not in alignment:

Ten Ohio colleges and universities’s educator preparation programs were found to not be in alignment with the science of reading, according to an audit from the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

Five colleges and universities were found to be partially in alignment and 33 higher education institutions were found to be in alignment, according to the audit.

The science of reading is based on decades of research that shows how the human brain learns to read and incorporates phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

“We have an obligation to act with great urgency to make sure every future teacher is taught by our colleges and universities the best way to teach reading,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said during a press conference.

The science of reading was signed into law by DeWine in 2023 through the state’s two-year operating budget, which gave $86 million for educator professional development, $64 million for curriculum and instructional materials, and $18 million for literacy coaches.

Colleges and universities teacher preparation programs were required to be fully aligned with teaching the science of reading by Jan. 1, 2025.

The Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Mike Duffey created an audit process that demonstrates how each educator training program aligns with teaching the science of reading instruction.

The formal audits started in January 2025 and took place during the spring semester. The colleges submitted syllabi, materials, and assignments in addition to reviewers visiting campuses, observing classes, and interviewing staff.

Any college or university that does not become fully aligned by next December will have their approval revoked by Chancellor Duffey. All programs will be reviewed every four years.

“For the students who are becoming teachers, it will improve their job prospects,” DeWine said. “It will make future generations of children also better readers. Teacher prep programs at our colleges and universities need to be using only the science of reading.”

Bowling Green State University, Central State University, Cleveland State University, Defiance College, Ohio Christian University, Ohio Dominican University, Ohio University, Ohio State University, University of Toledo, and Wright State University were not in alignment — meaning they had at least one violation for teaching the three-cueing approach, which is a banned teaching practice in Ohio.

The “three-cueing approach” is any model of teaching students to read based on meaning, structure and syntax and visual cues. It often encourages children to read words by asking three questions: Does it make sense? Does it sound right? Does it look right?

Ohio’s law bans school districts from using the “three-cueing approach” in lessons unless a district or a school gets a waiver from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce or a student has an individualized education program that specifically includes the “three-cueing approach.”

“Many of these 10 colleges are actually teaching the science of reading very well,” DeWine said. “All 10 of these colleges were found to have at least one instance of using the banned training in their material.”

All of these schools say they are now in compliance and ODHE is verifying they are now fully aligned with the science of reading, DeWine said.

Ohio State University had 17 noncompliant course sections, the most of any university, according to the audit.

“The audit … identified a limited number of cases where outdated curricular materials do not fully align with (science of reading) standards,” said Ohio State University spokesperson Chris Booker. “Those materials are being updated to fully comply with the new standards.”

Capital University, God’s Bible School & College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Ursuline College, and Western Governors University had partial alignment, meaning they met between 50-70 audit metrics and had zero violations for banned teaching practices.

“For some universities, it’s cultural set in,” DeWine said. “They’ve taught another way for a long, long period of time. It’s tough to change. … But it’s also tough for teachers who are out in the classroom, who now have to switch over and so it’s just a moral imperative that we get this right.”

These colleges and universities were in alignment, meaning they met at least 71 out of 73 audit metrics and had no violations for banned teaching practices:

“We have a lot of schools that are doing a great job,” DeWine said. “… Many schools are excelling with their implementation of the science of reading and their students are better off.”

DeWine said he’s heard from principals and superintendents that some of their new teachers are coming out of college with a good foundation in the science of reading.

“Sadly, some of the principals and the teachers pointed out that they are still receiving new teachers coming out from Ohio universities that do not have that good preparation,” DeWine said. “That creates a huge problem.

This is the second academic year Ohio school districts are required to teach the science of reading curriculum.

“We’ve watched some amazing teachers use the science of reading to help their students,” he said. “Every single child is engaged in what they’re learning. … We’re making great strides in our K-12 schools.”

Forty percent of Ohio’s third-graders were not proficient in reading in 2023 and 33% of third graders were not proficient in reading before COVID-19.

Literacy scores were down from last year, with 61.3% of third graders reading at or above grade level compared to 64.5% from the 2023-24 school year, according to this year’s state report cards that were released in September. (These numbers have been corrected from a previous version of this story.)

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce was required to come up with a list of curriculum and instructional materials that align with the science of reading.

After an intense and thorough review of its entire reading and literacy instruction curricula, the College of Education, Health, and Society (EHS) earned a perfect 100% compliance score on the science of reading audit conducted by the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE).

The score reflects how closely higher education institutions aligned their coursework, instructional materials, and teaching practices with Ohio's new science of reading requirements, which represents a major shift in modern K-12 evidence-based literacy instruction for college students studying to become teachers.

This achievement was also the result of no ordinary audit.

Conducted under the direction of ODHE, the audit unfolded over several months and thoroughly reviewed all related syllabi for 23 different EHS courses, examined textbooks, course reading materials, and even observed faculty teaching and interacting with students in class. Student surveys and additional interviews with faculty and administrative leadership were conducted as well.

“They did a very comprehensive analysis,” said EHS dean Amity Noltemeyer. “The state of Ohio is really committed to making sure the new requirements were put into practice, and it was not an easy process. It really required our faculty to come together, to figure out how to rethink our curriculum, how to reorganize it, and how to ensure that everything now required will be taught.”

To meet the new directives, several departments came together including faculty from the Department of Teaching, Curriculum, and Educational Inquiry (TCE), the Department of Educational Psychology (EDP), and the Department of Education and Society through Miami’s Regional campus.

“This audit is important because it shows EHS, and our departments, at our best in regards to teamwork, curriculum work, learning new pedagogy, and organizing ourselves for teaching excellence,” said Ganiva Reyes, TCE chair and associate professor. “This was immense labor in a compressed amount of time, but the literacy faculty pulled through and came together to revise curriculum to help best prepare future teachers.”

These audit results also reflect just the latest example of EHS’s long-standing commitment to provide impactful programs and innovative approaches around reading and literacy instruction.

Earlier this year, EHS was recognized nationally when its undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program earned an “A” grade in Reading Foundations from the National Council on Teacher Quality.

Recently, EHS also expanded its literacy offerings by launching Orton-Gillingham certification workshops for undergraduate and graduate students. Led by EDP associate professor Sarah Watt, who, after completing the intensive training herself, can now provide Miami students with a hands-on, science-based reading instruction that will further strengthen their ability to enter modern classrooms.

“It’s a unique certification for undergraduate students to walk into a classroom with, and it’s highly sought out by principals and the people who are hiring them,” Watt said. “We have offered three workshops now, and with this training also comes a full curriculum. So students have all the materials to teach kindergarten through third grade.”

The EHS Field Office also just completed a two-year ODHE science of reading grant, which allowed 28 Miami student teachers to work alongside experienced Lakota Local School District teachers. This project not only offered training in science of reading principles, it also provided materials for use in Lakota classrooms and helped build a deeper relationship with a local school partner.

Across the wider region, EHS even strengthened its community engagement efforts through another partnership with local public libraries to support families in southwestern Ohio.

Now, parents visiting several Lane Library locations can attend interactive workshops and receive tool kits. Led and created by EHS faculty and students, each provides the knowledge and resources needed to give quality reading instruction at home, including the importance of reading to children, the kinds of books that best facilitate learning, how to avoid common misconceptions, and more.

Watt is overseeing additional public library programs that will soon invite retirees and other community members to get involved as well. These upcoming literacy workshops will be for anyone interested in volunteering to help tutor and teach young children how to read.

All of these programs and initiatives — in college classrooms and local schools and throughout the community — mirror EHS’s broader commitment to advance reading instruction that meets the needs of today’s learners, as well as the educators who serve them across the state.

“What we’re most proud of is how our faculty came together across programs and departments to improve our curriculum,” Noltemeyer said. “And our community-focused work also shows that we're not just concerned about preparing our students in the science of reading, but also how we work with the community to support all K-12 students.”

Established in 1809, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg. Interested in learning more about the College of Education, Health, and Society? Visit their website for more information.